


in a world of pure imagination

by VagabondDawn



Category: Log Horizon
Genre: (barely - the most microscopic fusion), Akatsuki is a role-player, Alternate Universe - Naruto Fusion, Gen, Pre-Canon, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 10:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19060396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VagabondDawn/pseuds/VagabondDawn
Summary: Pre-series. Akatsuki takes a quest.





	in a world of pure imagination

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pepperdoken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pepperdoken/gifts).



On the screen, the graphics of Elder Tale aren’t good enough that the leaves in the trees truly rustle as Shizuka’s avatar moves through the trees – but she can imagine. 

_The silent, lone wolf assassin Akatsuki, clad in the Black Costume of Eternal Night, blending into the shadows of the trees and flitting from trunk to trunk. The soft brush of grass underfoot, the rustle of leaves above, the birdsong continuing as the peace of the forest isn’t disturbed by his passing._

It pleases her to imagine it. To weave the words around this next tale of Akatsuki’s – his reason for taking this quest, the way he’s going to achieve it, what it means to him and why. It’s a story quest, one only open to assassin players, but it doesn’t matter to her that every other assassin in the game must have completed it too. That it’s necessary, even, to receive this quest to level up – that it dispenses scrolls and equipment that no ninja can do without. 

_Come to the forests of Kamakura,_ the quest notice had said, tagged with [a mysterious note appears]. Not a threat, but an expression of power and skill that leaves Akatsuki wary of their intentions all the same. Darkly pleased, in the way the recognition of his skills has caused people to seek him out — though a true ninja should be humble and dedicated, he’s not above pride — but wary all the same. 

In real life — in Shizuka’s life — this location is the Sasuke Inari Shrine with the _Kakurezato_ , the Hidden Village that belonged into ninja in the Feudal period. She’s been there, walked the stone pathways of the shrine, touched the bright red tori gates, peered through the canopy of leaves at the barely visible rooftops of the nearby settlement. It had fascinated her, made her daydream about Akatsuki in the treetops, watching down on her with cool practicality and professionalism. With protection. Where she could imagine herself as one of those far away ninja, returning home from a long infiltration where no one had ever noticed that she _wasn’t_ Shizuka Hanekura. 

She’s pleased to see that it looks just as good in Elder Tales — larger, not smaller. The shrine isn’t the same because the world of Elder Tale doesn’t follow Shintoism (or Buddhism for that matter), but there is a small castle in its place. A minor lord, a noble worthy of loyalty of a whole settlement of ninja. 

Akatsuki carefully circles the area, gathering information before making the approach to the village. The settlement here is circled by a strong wall with an open gate at one side, and Akatsuki drops carefully onto the path and approaches the new zone. 

There are two NPC guards on the gate; a woman on the left, dressed in a long navy overcoat with a crow perched on her shoulder, and a man on the right, dressed in a white ninja shozoku. 

The woman draws her sword and the crow takes flight, a flicker of black pixels on a blue sky. “Halt! You are approaching private property. Strangers are not welcome here.” 

Shizuka has no option of responding to the NPC, but that’s okay because Akatsuki wouldn’t respond anyway. He would just fade backwards and enter the village in another manner, were it allowed. Whoever he’s supposed to meet with, it’s not these two. 

“Uzume,” the male NPC says. “They have the invitation.” 

The woman sheaths her sword. “Hmph,” she says. “So you’re _that person._ I expected someone more impressive. Well, hurry up then. The boss is expecting you.” 

She steps back into place, the crow settling back on her shoulder, interaction over. 

Shizuka flexes her fingers over her keyboard in anticipation and Akatsuki slips inside the village. 

The quest is on. 


End file.
